


Just Breathe, Love

by Gallavich4ever



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Clingy Harry Potter, Cuddles, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Harry Potter Has PTSD - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Healer Draco Malfoy, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Nightmares, Panic Attacks, Protective Draco Malfoy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-01
Updated: 2020-07-01
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:47:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25008703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gallavich4ever/pseuds/Gallavich4ever
Summary: The one year anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts is here, and Harry is struggling. Good thing Draco is here to take care of him.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley
Comments: 6
Kudos: 277





	Just Breathe, Love

**Author's Note:**

> Helloooo! A little one shot for you all here. If people are interested, I may make this little project a series. But let me know if you think it works better as a stand-alone one shot or a series of one shots. 
> 
> TW: PTSD, night terrors, panic attacks

The nightmares have been a constant ever since the end of the war. The Boy Who Lived tosses and turns constantly in his bed at night, rarely getting anything even remotely close to a good sleep as the nightmares tear screams from his throat that wake him up, clawing and fighting unseen attackers and already in the midst of a panic attack. He deals with it alone, for a long, long while, until the lack of sleep begins to affect his work. The day he’s let go from Auror Training, he doesn’t sleep for an entire three days before finally managing to pass out from sheer exhaustion. 

The lack of a job seems to make the nightmares worse and worse. It’s Hermione that convinces him to see a Healer who might be able to help. Harry is so exhausted and anxious to actually feel semi like himself again that he for once doesn’t argue. Of course, no one told him his Healer was going to be Draco Malfoy.

Initially, Harry had point blank refused to indulge his deepest, darkest thoughts to the blonde, given their history together. Eventually, however, Draco managed to earn his trust by simply not being a prick. It was certainly true that the war had changed them both. 

Something like a friendship started between the two. One thing led to another, and soon enough, Draco quickly became Harry’s first point of contact whenever the nightmares happened, which, due to their work together, slowly became less and less frequent. At some other point, they’d kissed and it had been mutually decided that Draco would move in to take care of Harry and support him.

Still, even with Draco’s help, Harry’s nightmares don’t always stay away, and this day is unlike any of the days Harry has faced so far.

It’s the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts, and Draco can tell Harry is struggling. He’d had a nightmare the night before, and hasn’t slept since, despite Draco’s coaxing, all the cuddles in the world, and several cups of warm tea. It’s probably only thanks to Draco himself that Harry hasn’t actually had a full blown panic attack yet.

Despite not being able to sleep, Harry can’t find it in him to get out of bed, not today. So Draco takes off from work to stay with his lover. Harry clings to him for most of the day, and Draco knows it’s because he’s terrified that he’ll look away for one second and then Draco will be gone. Just like almost everyone else Harry has ever loved.

He tries to distract Harry, rambling on about work and other things that don’t matter too much but that might keep Harry’s mind off of the day. It doesn’t work terribly well, but Harry seems to appreciate Draco trying, because he curls up in the blonde’s arms and pleads with him to keep talking. And so Draco does just that, knowing that his soft, smooth voice has been a source of comfort in the past.

Later that evening, after their work is finished, Ron and Hermione try to pay a visit. It’s not entirely unexpected, but Harry doesn’t have the energy to pretend to be alright around them today. So Draco politely deals with them and sends them on their way, promising that he’ll take care of Harry and that the raven-haired man is in the best care. 

After that little escapade, he tries to coax Harry into eating, or sleeping, or getting up at all. All to no avail. Harry wants to be held and listen to Draco ramble, and that’s perfectly alright for Draco, who knew that this day would be almost impossible for Harry to get through on his own.

It’s past one AM when he finally manages to soothe his exhausted lover to sleep. Draco makes an attempt to sleep himself, but his sleep is fitful, because he knows that he’s in for a long night if Harry’s nightmares kick in again tonight, which they most likely will, given the stress of the day.

He’s proven right when just two hours later, he’s woken by a sharp, pained cry. Draco bolts up, eyes immediately turning towards his panicked, tossing lover. As much as he desperately wants to hold Harry, to wake him with soft touches and never let him go, he knows better than to wake Harry up with touch. The man’s magic is powerful, especially when he’s panicked, and Draco’s been accidentally thrown out of the bed by it more times than he can count on one hand. Instead, he goes with a tried and true route.

“Harry, love? It’s Draco. You’re home with me. You’re safe. I swear to you you’re safe, and I will not let anything happen to you. So just wake up, please?” His tone is soft, and gentle, and it does _something_ because Harry relaxes into the bed a little bit. Draco foolishly tells himself that the worst of it is over, until Harry’s breathing begins to pick up at an unreasonably loud, fast, and harsh pace.

“No! Nononononono don’t take him! Please don’t! Draco! DRACO!” 

“Right here, love,” Draco replies, forcing himself to remain calm for Harry’s sake. “I’m right here and I’m alright. It’s only a bad dream. Now wake up, Potter!”

The use of his last name does the trick, as Harry catapults into a sitting position. He looks wildly around, breathing still too labored for Draco’s liking. The second Harry’s eyes find him, the man launches himself into Draco’s arms, clinging to him with a vice like grip.

“I thought you were dead!” Harry whimpers as Draco immediately pulls him close with a soft ‘shhhhh.’ “It was so real! He killed you right in front of me and I couldn’t stop it and it was my fault because I couldn’t do anything and-“

“Harry!” Draco calls out, trying to get the attention of the sobbing, panicking man in his arms. “It was a dream. Nothing more. I’m right here holding you. Nothing’s happened to me, I promise. Just breathe, love. Just breathe.”

Harry forces himself to breathe the way Draco has instructed, focusing all of his attention on the blonde holding him: his smell, his heart beating in his chest, the way his arms are wrapped around him, shielding him from the rest of the world so lovingly and securely.

Slowly, ever so slowly, Harry’s breathing begins to come down from the hyperventilating, jumbling mess that it previously was, though he’s still trembling slightly in Draco’s arms. “I’m not sleeping,” he breathes out in a shaky tone.

“Perfectly acceptable after the shit you just dreamed about,” Draco replies, the easiness of his tone only further calming Harry down from his panic attack.

“I’m sorry Dray...I know I was working on getting better-“

“You just survived the one year anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts. I was expecting nightmares, to be fair,” Draco replies, slowly beginning to rub slow circles into Harry’s back as he continues to hold him. 

“So you’re not mad then?” Harry asks, sounding far too unsure for Draco’s liking.

“Merlin’s sakes, Harry, you ask me this all the time. Am I going to have to kiss you into believing I’m not angry?” Draco asks, a fond look on his face.

“Wouldn’t hurt,” Harry chuckles breathlessly, and Draco inwardly preens. He got Harry to laugh. A great sign, really.

“You’ll look for any excuse to get me to kiss you, won’t you?” Draco grins, and then he’s leaning in, Harry’s lips pressed against his own as the Boy Who Lived lets out a soft, contented sigh into the kiss.

Draco knows neither of them will be in the mood to do anymore than snog for a bit, but as long as he can keep Harry safe and make him happy, Draco doesn’t really mind. Not in the slightest.


End file.
